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Nine-year-old Aarit Kapil almost beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen recently in a tournament, eventually settling for a draw.

“He’s just 9 years old, and the way he dominated Magnus Carlsen, I truly believe Aarit Kapil is the Sachin Tendulkar of chess.” These were the words of International Master Vishal Sareen, the coach of nine-year-old Indian chess prodigy Aarit Kapil. In a recent match against Magnus Carlsen in the Early Titled Tuesday competition, Aarit had a winning position until the 46th movem but had to settle for a draw due to time constraints. Despite this, his performance has made him a hero among chess experts worldwide.

Aarit plays fearless chess like Magnus Carlsen and other top players, and he calculates moves quickly like Fausto Oro,” says Vishal Sareen, proud of his student’s skills.

 Aarit Kapil drew a match against the world chess champion in an online blitz game.

 He became the third-youngest player globally to defeat a grandmaster in classical time control at just 9 years old.

 Aarit is currently participating in the Under-10 World Chess Championship in Georgia, where he has won three out of four matches.

The All India Chess Federation on Wednesday announced the launch of the Top National Players Stipend Scheme, a financial support initiative to help in talent development.

The All India Chess Federation (AICF) on Wednesday announced the launch of the Top National Players Stipend Scheme (TNPSS), a financial support initiative to help in talent development. The project, championed by AICF President Nitin Narang, will seek to nurture the chess players from the grassroots. The AICF is immediately dispatching its first quarterly stipends, ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh directly into the accounts of top young chess talents. A total of Rs 42.30 lakh has been disbursed for the months of April to June. Players starting from age-group of U-7 till U-19s will be beneficiaries of this scheme.

This is more than just a scheme. It shows how deeply we believe in the promise of every young chess player in Bharat,” said Narang.

“For the first time in our history, we are directly investing in the future of 39 girls and and 39 boys, providing them with the sustained financial bedrock they need to transform their talent into triumph. This is more than a token; it’s a demonstration of our support.

“One of the key objectives is to increase the importance of national tournaments, as theyare the foundation for building a strong chess ecosystem. It is at the nationals where we can identify and nurture talent,” Narang added.

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became India’s top-ranked chess player in the live ratings after winning the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Tashkent on Friday.

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became India’s top-ranked chess player in the live ratings after winning the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Tashkent on Friday. The win took Praggnanandhaa’s live rating to 2778.3, making him World No.4 — up three places — as he achieved his highest career ranking. The 19-year-old leapfrogged world champion D Gukesh (2776.6) and Arjun Erigaisi (2775.7), who was India’s top-ranked player until Thursday but has now slipped to world No.6. Magnus Carlsen (2839.2) remains No.1, followed by Hikaru Nakamura (2807.0) and Fabiano Caruana (2784.2).

Praggnanandhaa started the final day a point behind local favourite Nodirbek Abdusattorov and half a point behind Javokhir Sindarov.

A crucial win over Abdusattorov in the final round helped him join both players at 5.5 points at the end of the round-robin stage.

Erigaisi missed a chance to make it a four-way tie after drawing with Aravindh Chithambaram.

In the first round of tiebreaks, a double round-robin blitz, all three players finished with two points.

Abdusattorov and Sindarov drew both their games, while Praggnanandhaa beat both with white but lost with black.

In the second tiebreak, Praggnanandhaa drew with Abdusattorov with white and beat Sindarov with black.

Sindarov’s win over Abdusattorov sealed the title for the Indian.

This was Praggnanandhaa’s third title of the year, after wins at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Grand Chess Tour Superbet Classic in Romania.

He was also runner-up at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial earlier this month. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand congratulated Praggnanandhaa on social media, posting: “Congrats to @rpraggnachess for winning the Uzbekistan Chess Cup.” “Third major classical victory this year. Of all his wins this year, this one seemed the least likely with just two rounds to go.” He continued: “However, he defeated Arjun Erigaisi and today in the crucial match defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov to tie for first place.

AFI is planning to implement a “robust monitoring system” to enhance the performance of its athletes and increase the number of medals.

With the Asian and Commonwealth Games lined up next year, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is planning to implement a “robust monitoring system” to enhance the performance of its athletes and increase the number of medals. Indian track and field athletes have traditionally done well at the Asian Games and the AFI wants to take that success a few notches higher at the 2026 continental showpiece in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan and also improve the tally in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

AFI has been encouraged by the fact that nearly 11 months after the decentralisation of the national coaching camps post the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the overall results showed marked improvement at the Asian Championships in South Korea last month and the domestic competitions.

AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla said there were fears that the decentralised training model could be counterproductive, but, on the contrary, there have been a lot of positives.

India’s world champion and Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will be in action during the Neeraj Chopra Classic at Bengaluru on July 5.

India’s world champion and Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra feels that Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah can excel in his discipline. Neeraj will be in action during the Neeraj Chopra Classic at Bengaluru on July 5. Ahead of the event, he was quoted as saying by Olympics.com to Star Sports, “I think it would be a fast bowler (A good javelin thrower from other sport), for sure. So, I think a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah, in his prime, will be good at it.”

Fast bowlers and javelin throwers both require a strong, steady run-up to build momentum. Good speed and timing are extremely important, so are powerful legs, core and shoulders for an explosive finish.

Bumrah is currently the top-ranked Test bowler in the world and a massive part of India’s pace attack. In the recent Leeds Test against England, he took a five-wicket haul in the first innings and went wicketless while defending 371 runs for the team.

On the other hand, Chopra reclaimed his number one spot in men’s javelin throw world rankings from Anderson Peters of Grenada following a string of brilliant performances on the international stage.

World Athletics updated the rankings earlier this week, increasing Neeraj’s points to 1,445 compared to Peters’ tally of 1,431, according to Olympics.com. Also, Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem sits at number four with 1,370 points to his name.

Neeraj lost his top spot to Peters back in September 2024, just shortly after the Paris Olympics, where he attained a silver medal with a throw of 89.45, and Peters took home the bronze.

Nikhat Zareen opened her campaign with a clinical 4:1 win over Uttar Pradesh’s Rashi Sharma in the 48-51kg category on the opening day of the the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament.

Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen opened her campaign with a clinical 4:1 win over Uttar Pradesh’s Rashi Sharma in the 48-51kg category on the opening day of the the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad on Saturday. Haryana’s Anjali scored an upset win over World Championships bronze medallist Manisha Moun in the 57-60 kg category at the Hyderabad’s Saroornagar Indoor Stadium. Other notable Day 1 results included a win for 2023 world champion Nitu (Haryana) in 45-48kg over Rajani Singh (UP) 5:0 while Telangana’s Yashi Sharma defeated K Monisha (Tamil Nadu) 5:0 in the 60-65kg category.

Another standout performer from the TOPS setup, Laxmi, posted a dominant 5:0 win in the 51-54kg bout against Ragini (UP).

The gold and silver medallists in each of the 10 weight categories will be selected for the elite national camp to be held in Patiala.

Former youth world champion Ankushita Boro showcased her class on Day 2 of the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament, advancing to the semi-finals in the 65kg category

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 medalist Lovlina Borgohain eased past Punjab’s Krisha Verma in the 75 kg weight category with a unanimous victory, setting up a clash against Uttar Pradesh boxer Sneha in the penultimate round of the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament in Telangana on Sunday. Former youth world champion Ankushita Boro showcased her class on Day 2 of the Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament, advancing to the semifinals in the 65kg category with a clinical 5:0 win over Rajasthan pugilist Parthvi on Sunday.

In the 51kg division, home favourite and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen delighted the Hyderabad crowd with a dominant 5:0 victory over Kalpana.

Organised by the Telangana Boxing Federation under the aegis of the Boxing Federation of India and the Sports Authority of Telangana, the tournament brings together top-tier names and emerging prospects from across the country. With 15 participating units–including 12 from the recent Elite Nationals, host Telangana, the SAI NCOE Combined team, and the TOPS Talent & Development squad–the competition is part of BFI’s ongoing initiative to refine the national pool and scout future stars, as per a BFI press release.

Other notable quarterfinal results saw Preeti (54kg), Jyoti (51kg), and Devika Ghorpade (51kg) book their semifinal berths with clean, unanimous wins. Tamil Nadu’s V. Lakshaya (51kg) impressed with a 5:0 win over Laxmi Devi and will face Nikhat in the semi-finals, while Tanu (54kg), Shashi (65kg), and Yashi Sharma (65kg) also moved ahead after solid outings. Ankushita’s TOPS teammate Gitimoni Gogoi advanced in 70kg via RSC, and Babirojsana Chanu (57kg) registered a stoppage win in the second round.

The tournament, serving as a gateway to the elite national camp in Patiala, continues at the Saroornagar Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad, with semifinals scheduled for Monday.

As the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 player auction approaches on May 31-June 1 in Mumbai, Aslam Inamdar stands as a symbol of determination. The versatile all-rounder, retained by Puneri Paltan, is ready to make his comeback after a challenging Season 11 that saw him play just seven matches before suffering a season-ending knee injury. “For a Kabaddi athlete, injury is a common issue – it’s a part of life and an important part of the game,” reflects Aslam. “I believe a player is truly recognized only when he shows his potential after an injury, how he prepares himself and makes himself fit.”

What sets Aslam apart is his deep connection with the Puneri Paltan franchise, a relationship spanning five seasons since Season 7. He started in their youth academy, ‘Yuva Paltan’, and went on to captain the team to glory.

As teams prepare for the auctions, Aslam expects fierce competition. “The upcoming Season 12 auction will be challenging and competitive because a lot of big names have come into the auction list. A player can go up to 2 crores, making it more competitive than ever.”

As the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 auction approaches on May 31 and June 1, U Mumba’s captain Sunil Kumar is preparing for what he believes will be one of the most competitive bidding wars

As the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 auction approaches on May 31 and June 1, U Mumba’s captain Sunil Kumar is preparing for what he believes will be one of the most competitive bidding wars in recent memory. The veteran defender, who led his team back to playoff glory in Season 11 after a seven-year drought, is optimistic about building an even stronger squad for the upcoming campaign. “I am hopeful about the auction,” says Kumar, reflecting on the team’s preparation strategy. “The team management has made a plan, and we will go beyond that. We hope that we will get a good team.”

“If you want to make a good team, then you need both experienced players and young players,” Kumar explained. “Experienced players help the team move forward with their knowledge, while young players bring their passion to play and fitness. When both things work in harmony, the team moves forward.”

As one of PKL’s most successful defenders, Kumar understands the importance of building a robust defensive unit. “If you look at Kabaddi, the team whose defense is strong wins most of the time. To make the defense strong, the management has planned accordingly. I think we’re going to get good corners and covers for Season 12, and we’re going to have a very good defense,” he concluded confidently.

Mohammadreza Shadloui created history at the outset after the Season 11’s Most Valuable Player was snapped up for INR 2.23 Crores in the very first bid of the evening by Gujarat Giants

Mohammadreza Shadloui created history at the outset after the Season 11’s Most Valuable Player was snapped up for INR 2.23 Crores in the very first bid of the evening by Gujarat Giants. The two-time PKL champion is the first player to go for more than INR 2 Crore three times in PKL history. His purchase began a plethora of top signings as Day 1 of the Player Auction saw 10 players crossing the INR 1 Crore mark, setting a new record for PKL.

Arjun Deshwal, who was signed by Tamil Thalaivas for INR 1.405 Crores, and Yogesh Dahiya, who will join Bengaluru Bulls after being signed for INR 1.125 Crores, were the other top bids from Category A.

“Day 1 of the PKL Season 12 Player Auction was a landmark moment, with a record-breaking 10 players crossing the Rs 1 crore mark across Categories A and B – reflecting the continued growth in player value and the league’s evolution over the past decade. The introduction of the two-season Final Bid Match (FBM) rule also had an impact, with two teams choosing to retain players for a longer duration – highlighting our commitment to building continuity within squads. We now look forward to Day 2, as the franchisees build their squads for the upcoming season,” said Mr. Anupam Goswami, Business Head, Mashal Sports & League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League.